Hutchison Ports starts work on Port of Felixstowe yard expansion

Hutchison Ports kicked off its latest expansion phase at Port of Felixstowe, beginning construction of about 13 hectares of new paved container yard at the UK’s largest container port.

UK Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling, officiated at a formal ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of work on the new container yard to be built directly behind Berth 9 and which will add another 18,000 teu of container storage capacity. The work will include the reclamation of 3.2 hectares of seabed.

“This important expansion of Felixstowe continues the port’s impressive record of investment to make sure it is well placed to make the most of trading opportunities both now and in the future,” said Grayling.

“As a great, global trading nation, the UK and its ports are the natural home for international maritime business. It is great to see our largest container port expanding its offering so it can grow and prosper,” he added.

Port of Felixstowe ceo and Hutchison Ports ed Clemence Cheng added: “Berths 8&9 were the first berths in the UK built to accommodate the latest class of ultra-large container vessels. The creation of additional container storage will allow us to optimise container handling operations between the berth and its supporting yard and further enhance the service we offer to our customers.”

Completion of the new container yard, which will comprise ten container storage blocks and allow 6-high stacking, is scheduled for early 2019. The work will add to Port of Felixstowe’s 130,000 teu storage capacity and further enhance its ability to handle the world’s largest container ships.

The port was the first in the UK to handle the latest class of 18,000+ teu ships and in 2017 welcomed 166 calls by the largest class of mega-ships, more than any other port in the UK.